The Lawyer Inquiry: Russ de Haney

Russ de Haney was born in Beighton, Derbyshire, on 8 July 1950. He now lives in Sheffield. He is a solicitor at the Chesterfield Law Centre and chair of the Law Centres Federation.



What was your first job?

Engineering apprentice.



What was your first ever salary as a lawyer?

£5,200 in articles at John Howell & Co.



What would you have done if you hadn't become a lawyer?

An MP or mobile fast food vendor.



Which law could you live without?

Immigration acts.



What was your most embarrassing professional moment?

When interviewing my first client alone, I tried to emulate my principal by rolling my chair across to the forms drawers, but my chair wasn't on castors. The result was a nose dive behind my desk.



What car do you drive?

Very old Volvo.



Which famous person would you like to go out with?

Peter Tosh.



Where would you go to eat?

Matlock Chinese.



What's the best thing on TV?

My football player/manager award from the players.



Which movie do you wish you'd appeared in?

Zulu Dawn.



What's your most often-worn piece of clothing?

Cat boots.



What books are you reading at the moment?

The Best of AE Van Vogt and the Virgin holiday brochure.



What is your all-time favourite record?

Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix.



What piece of advice would you give to anyone entering the profession now?

If you want to become a lawyer because you're going to be one of an elite group, don't. There are too many like you already!



What do you like about yourself?

Most things: humour, wit, charm.



What do you hate about yourself?

Tendency to intolerance and cynicism.



Where would you most like to be right now?

In the Royal (pub) with friends.